By Xinhua
Kabul : At least 19 militants were killed in separate clashes in Farah and Patkika provinces of Afghanistan, officials said Tuesday.
A group of militants attacked a remote police check post in Farah Monday night and the ensuing gun battles left 10 Taliban dead, said Juma Khan, a senior police officer.
In another incident, nine Taliban insurgents were killed Monday in east province of Paktika during an operation by US-led coalition forces, said Ghami Khan, a provincial government spokesman.
Rising violence has claimed over 5,100 lives so far this year in war-torn Afghanistan, where a 13,000-strong coalition forces are deployed to maintain security.